Moving across time from present day to the age of the Apostles, Writer Bettye Johnson weaves a story of suspense, romance, and adventure while answering the questions: was Mary Magdalene the wife of Jesus; did she bear him children; and did she have her own ministry?

Friday, August 15, 2008

Down through the ages the rose has been revered and treasured not only for its beauty, but also for its symbolism. I have been asked why I chose the red rose for the book cover of Secrets of the MagdaleneScrolls. I chose it is because to me it represents what Mary Magdalene, her life and her legacy symbolize.

As the result of my research, the red rose was chosen because the color of a red rose indicates giving of one’s self for the purpose of greater evolvement. Red also indicates the material plane and we are now living on this plane.

Not only is the rose an ancient symbol, it is also an ancient plant. The rose originally came from Persia, however rose fossils that have been found in Colorado and Oregon that have been determined to be 32,000,000 years old. Yes, that is 32 million! It isn’t only in the United States where fossilized roses have been found. There is fossil evidence of roses, which grew in Mesopotamia many millions of years ago.

The rose is mentioned all throughout ancient history. There is evidence that the Romans imported masses of roses from Egypt. There are also stories of Cleopatra having the floor of the banquet hall carpeted with roses 2 feet deep for Mark Anthony.

In the Song of Solomon in the Bible, it is written, I am the rose of Sharon…along with in Isaiah, I rejoice and blossom as the rose… According to these words, the ancients knew something important to leave a message that I am the rose and I…blossom as the rose. These are early clues that the rose has always been a sacred symbol.

In researching the symbolism of the rose, I have found many interpretations. The rose carries the meaning of purity or heavenly, passion, transmutation, completion, of consummate achievement and perfection in addition to being an ancient symbol of joy. The Persian poet Sa’adi of Shiraz wrote of the rose garden as a garden of contemplation. Today most people think of the rose as a symbol for love. It is all of these meanings.

The rose has been used as a sign of silence in addition to secrecy. This is where the words subrosa came into usage and is defined as under the rose. When secret societies and gatherings met in medieval times, a rose was hung from the ceiling at a meeting indicating a demand for discretion.

In Roman times the rose was sacred to Venus. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the symbolism changed with the rise of Christianity and the ancient meanings were changed when the Catholic Church began incorporating them into their beliefs. Instead of belonging to Venus, the rose became the flower of the Virgin Mary and she was deemed to be the Rosa mystica. The Roman Jupiter Capitolinus became St. Peter’s and the Temple of Juno Lucina became the Church of Ste. Maria Maggiore.

The Catholic rosary is said to have first started with rolled up dried roses made into beads and used for counting, which evolved into the name rosary. In researching the meaning of the rose, I came across one statement, which said that to the Arabs, the rose was a masculine flower. Further research indicates it may have meant the masculine to them, however my research indicates it is definitely a feminine symbol.

There is a legend that there has been and could possibly be in existence today the Sisterhood ofthe Rose. The sisterhood is said to be composed of twelve women who work for the betterment of mankind. In some circles it is considered a myth of Mary Magdalene creating twelve groups and each group composed of twelve women who were taught to be wisdom keepers of the sacred knowledge. Perhaps this sisterhood is the ongoing work of Mary Magdalene. History is fluid as I have written before.

The Knights Templar was instrumental in the building of magnificent Gothic cathedrals in France and other parts of Europe. In the Cathedral at Chartres there is a glorious Rose Window and perhaps the most famous. Actually there are other Rose Windows in the cathedral with the window over the main entrance considered the most beautiful. The Rose Windows began appearing in cathedrals around 1200 in France and spread to England, Italy, Spain and Germany.

The origin of the round Rose Window came from the Roman oculus, a Latin word for eye, embodying the concept of completeness and balance. Originally the Romans used the concept in building a round opening in the top of a dome and this eventually grew into a round stain glass window in churches.

The Rose Window operates on many levels. The symbolic meaning may be different for each person and touch her or him spiritually, meditatively and emotionally. There is another aspect of the Rose Windows in that geometry is utilized on three levels such as manifestation, hidden and symbolic. The rose, with a characteristic five-petal shape imitates the pentagram – a five-sided star also a sacred symbol.

Symbols were created to leave a path for those who open their minds to seeking a higher level of knowledge and the meaning of life.

2 comments:

Dearest Bettye,I only just came across your blos, and was amazed by the information on the 'legend' that you speak of. I have quoted below the piece I am talking about. I had not heard this 'legend' before. For me personally this has been a very real experience. In about 2008/2009 I became more aware of the Magdalene energy and was guided to bring the energy through the sacred leylines and holy Mountain beside which i live in australia. After this activation occurred, I was told that i belonged to the Sisterhood of the Rose. I was told those who belonged to this sisterhood, did this work of bringing forward the energy and anchoring it in the world. I wanted to find others who were doing the work, but I found no one who spoke what you are speaking below. Over and over again, I was told secrecy is good and enables the work to be held in a sacred space. Since then I have worked incredibly deeply on a spiritual level within myself activating and shifting the old paradigm and awakening the Sacred Magdalene. It has been an immense journey, and done with so much commitment and integrity, and wholeheartedness from within me, I could only say that I was sent on a mission! So I felt to write to you and connect, and tell you a bit of my story. Thank you for putting your knowledge out there, and for sharing your books with the world.

'There is a legend that there has been and could possibly be in existence today the Sisterhood of the Rose. The sisterhood is said to be composed of twelve women who work for the betterment of mankind. In some circles it is considered a myth of Mary Magdalene creating twelve groups and each group composed of twelve women who were taught to be wisdom keepers of the sacred knowledge. Perhaps this sisterhood is the ongoing work of Mary Magdalene. History is fluid as I have written before.'

I have long been in telepathic contact with the group of celestials I've called the Magdalene Consciousness, the Order of the Rose and simply, the Sisters. They include the then Mary Magdalene/Nada in her 'true' form, Mother Mary/Mary Anna of that era and daughter of Mary and Jeshua - Sa-Ra, amongst others.I believe there are many, many members of this extended family on planet today. Those who have returned to anchor (still in secret, but that ends now) the return of the Divine/Sacred Feminine that must now take conscious root. I understand those of us who are these ones are of the Order/Sisterhood of the Rose.Love of the One HeartShellee-Kim

About Me

All articles posted on this blog are copyrighted by Bettye Johnson.
I am the author of Secrets of the Magdalene Scrolls, Mary Magdalene, Her Legacy and A Christmas Awakening. All three of these books are available on Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com as well through my website: www.magdalenescrolls.com.
I have had a profound non-academic education when I left the cotton fields of Texas and worked for the Foreign Service, U.S. State Department with assignments in the embassies of Paris and Tokyo. Life has been an unfolding with experiences that have given me wisdom. I am an avid researcher and will share the pearls of wisdom I have gleaned from my research.